Many duck raisers in Bandung regency, West Java in Indonesia have suffered big losses after thousands of their ducks suddenly died recently from what is suspected to have been the avian influenza virus, also known as bird flu.

Duck farmer Didi, who lives in Paseh district, revealed that 1,500 ducks owned by another farmer had all died in just two days.

“Duck farmers in Paseh district will suffer losses amounting to some 20 million rupiah [US$1,712] each because of the high number of dead ducks,” he told Antara news agency.

Odas, another duck farmer, said that the farmers had done everything necessary to protect their ducks from bird flu, but their efforts had proven futile.